Relationship Capital as the Most Valuable Business Asset: The Role of Strategic Consulting, AI, and Reputation
The International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO) has officially launched the ICCO World PR Report 2025–2026, offering a comprehensive global snapshot of the public relations and communications industry at a time of rapid technological, geopolitical and societal change.
Powered by Opinium and featuring insights from PR leaders across global markets, the report captures the evolving priorities, opportunities and challenges shaping the profession, from the rise of AI and strategic consulting to growing concerns around ethics, talent and misinformation.
Based on responses from PR professionals across Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, North America and the UK, the report reveals continued optimism across the industry, with strategic consulting, corporate reputation and influencer communications emerging as key growth areas.
Among the report’s standout findings:
● Strategic consulting was identified as the top area of investment for PR firms globally according to 39% of respondents
● Corporate reputation emerged as the leading growth area for consultancies over the past year
● 91% of respondents believe AI will be the most relevant technology impacting PR over the next five years
● Retaining key talent remains the industry’s biggest talent challenge
● Misinformation and disinformation continue to rank as the leading ethical concern for PR professionals according to 40% of respondents
The report also highlights a broader industry shift towards advisory-led communications, with PR firms increasingly expected to provide strategic counsel, navigate complex stakeholder environments and help organisations build long-term relationship capital.
Commenting on the launch of the report, Massimo Moriconi, President of ICCO, said: “In today’s increasingly fragmented and unpredictable environment, relationship capital is more essential than ever to business resilience, trust, and effective leadership. This year’s ICCO World PR Report clearly demonstrates that our ability to deliver strategic counsel is a vital asset for organizations worldwide – enabling them to listen before reacting, anticipate and address stakeholder concerns before they escalate, act swiftly to mitigate risks, and communicate with clarity and confidence.”
Arun Sudhaman, Non-Executive Chair of ICCO, added: “The global communications industry is entering a defining period of transformation. Across markets, we are seeing consultancies and communications leaders being asked to deliver deeper strategic value, stronger measurement and more responsible leadership in increasingly complex environments. The ICCO World PR Report 2025–2026 reflects both the opportunities and the responsibilities facing our profession as technology, talent and trust continue to reshape the future of communications.”
The report includes expert commentary and regional analysis from leading voices across the global communications industry, covering topics such as AI integration, ethics, diversity and inclusion, mental wellbeing, talent development, measurement and evaluation, and the future of strategic communications.
The ICCO World PR Report 2025–2026 reinforces the growing role of communications professionals as trusted advisors helping organisations navigate uncertainty, reputation risk and increasingly fragmented information environments.